Dragon's Greed
by Alice Dread
Summary: Their journey is open-ended, the sky is without limit. Where to go next? One-shot, AlysXSelendrile. I do not own these characters. Rated M for mature content.


"Well then," said Alys, "I guess I will."

Selendrile turned his gaze back to her, regarding her with those calculating amethyst eyes. Then he smiled, and it was only a fraction of the coldness, the wryness that it usually held. "Where would you like to go?"

Alys leaned back on the hay, pondering her future as she looked at the stars. "I'm not sure," she said finally. "Somewhere new, I suppose. Somewhere I've never believed existed before today. After everything I've been through, I can't go back to a normal life."

The dragon youth's smile widened as she spoke. "What about the ocean?"

Alys sat up, interested. "Ocean? I've heard of that. What is it?"

"It's an endless, magical body of water. Like a pond or a lake but you can't see the other side, and it's the same color as the sky." There was a gleam in his eye as he spoke of this place.

She blinked at him. "That's the place where the ships come in? At the seaport on the other side of the mountains?"

He nodded. "Yes. But I will not be taking you to that dreaded town."

Alys considered this for a moment, then dipped her head concisely. "I think I would like to see this 'ocean'."

Before she could prepare herself, Selendrile had shifted back into his dragon form and scooped her up in his powerful claws. Even though it was gentler than it had been the first time, the girl was still caught off guard.

The cool night air rushed by them in a deafening roar for what seemed like hours, but as the unlikely pair rose higher and higher above the clouds, a ringing silence began to fill Alys' ears. She repositioned herself comfortably in his grasp, daring to even swing her legs down between his talons so her feet danced along the wispy carpet of clouds beneath them. She lifted her gaze and stared out over the sea of boundless sky before them.

The night was heavy, but clear. Being above the clouds, they had an unblemished view of the bulbous moon, full and robust, haloed by a faint white ring of moonlight. The dark sky was peppered with tiny flickering stars that seemed to wink at them as they glided by. The only sound Alys could hear was the steady whisper of wind and the rhythmic beat of the dragon's wings. She smiled peacefully and leaned back against Selendrile's claw.

"Maybe next time, I can ride up top," the girl mused aloud. She knew he could hear her, but he didn't acknowledge that she had spoken. His head was pointed perfectly south, the moon outlining his massive reptilian face. She glanced at his eyes, which were fixed on the horizon. "You know, Selendrile," she began. She rested her head against his scales. "I could have never imagined any of this happening, merely four days ago when I was sitting in the tin shop with my father. I remember him saying how proud he was of who I was becoming, and how my mother was smiling down from the Heavens." She looked above them, into the darkness, past the fluttering stars. "I'm closer to Heaven now than I ever have been, and yet I have never felt farther. I have to wonder if my father would still be proud of who I am." She closed her eyes and sighed.

Selendrile's eyes regarded her for a brief moment, examining her calm face, and then looked back out across the clouds. There was an air of acceptance about her, as if she knew the answer to her question. But he was troubled by her ready acquiescence of the wretched card fate had dealt her. He could tell that she was ready to give up a part of herself, the part that knew happiness.

After what seemed like an eternity, Alys could see a long black silhouette on the horizon. As they flew toward it. It stretched the whole length of the world, and grew thicker and more encompassing. She began to feel a sting in her nose, pungent and bitter. But it wasn't unpleasant. Then a melodious, pulsing growl surrounded them, and it wasn't coming from the dragon.

They descended onto a lengthy, narrow strip of land that was blanketed in a soft, pale earth. Aly's feet touched down first, and tiny grains of rock almost instantly jumped into her worn leather shoes.

Selendrile released her and quickly shifted back into his human form once more. "Take off your shoes," he said.

She looked down at his naked feet—deliberately ignoring the unabashed nudity that she was still not accustomed to—and noted the pliable powdery earth filling in the space between his toes. She curiously removed her shoes and set them aside, burying her toes in the cool material. "What is this stuff? It's not dirt, or stone." She crouched and picked up a handful of it.

"It's called 'sand', and it actually is stone." He paced toward her and looked out over the waves of the ocean. "They are incredibly small fractions of stones, ground down over time by the waters."

Alys glanced up at him, and then stood and followed his gaze. "Wow…" The scene before her was breathtaking. The dark body of water that spread out before them was, indeed, endless. It seemed to swallow all the rest of the world in its vast expanse. The strong sting that had met her in the sky, she now recognized as the acrimonious bouquet of salt and fish. It rode the wind that danced through her hair. She closed her eyes and inhaled it deeply, feeling wonderfully insignificant in this place.

As her eyes slowly drifted back open, she noticed her dragon companion watching her with those unreadable amethyst eyes. Her cheeks suddenly grew warm. "What?"

"It's not often that I get to watch someone experience something for the first time…" He trailed off in thought, and then added, "Well, not something pleasant, anyway."

"This is pleasant," she agreed, pushing past the meaning in his words. She scanned the ocean's scope again, letting the magnitude of it wash over her.

Selendrile continued watching her, and then he took her hand and began pulling her down the beach. "Come. There is a place we can rest for the night."

He walked her just under a mile along the sand, until they arrived at the remnants of a castle which was half on land and half under the waves, slowly being claimed by the sea. He led her through the grandiose front door, whose wood had decayed from the moisture in the air. Without pausing, he pulled her up a crumbling stone spiral staircase to the second floor of the relic structure. Here, the walls had fallen away, opening the layout and ceiling up to the scenescape before them. The moon hung high above them, casting its pale light down into the eroding castle. And through the collapsed façade, Alys could see the churning, rolling waves of the ocean, immeasurable and black, cadenced and quiet. She was bewitched.

"So beautiful," Alys whispered.

The dragon watched as the moonlight played in her short chestnut hair, which moved wistfully in the salty breeze. He saw the glimmer in her eye as she beheld this grand new thing. He noticed how her wet and muddy lad's clothing was torn and clung to her like a skin, leaving little to his imagination. Not that he had to imagine. Suddenly he felt the sick desire to see her exposed to him again; only this time, it wouldn't be intrigue driving him to look.

"Take off those muddy rags," he said as she turned to him.

"Do you have anything for me to change into?" she asked. She regarded herself, and only then realized how tattered and soiled her clothes were.

"No."

She glanced back up at his expressionless face, and she felt her cheeks flush again. "Then no, I'm not undressing."

The cunning dragon youth shrugged. "If you want to stay in those disgusting garments, be my guest. I am not taking care of you if you catch a fever."

Alys chewed on the inside of her lip. She knew he had a point, but the idea of being shamelessly naked in front of those probing eyes of his made her body grow hot with embarrassment. She turned her attention back to the ocean. "Can I bathe in that?"

"Yes and no. The salt will leave you feeling as though you need to bathe again, but the water will help get all the dirt and sweat and blood off of you." He watched her as she mulled over his words.

After an impossibly long pause, she sighed. "Well, I suppose salty would be better than this…" She scrutinized herself again and scrunched her nose. Then she met her companion's eyes. "You stay here." Her tone, intent to be stern, wavered.

Selendrile smiled coyly. "As you wish." She could tell he was holding back the urge to chuckle.

Keeping her eye on him, she crept back down the staircase to the beach. The dragon could see her as she approached the water. She peeked back at the castle, but he could tell she couldn't glimpse him watching her from that distance.

Slowly, she slipped out of her rancid clothes. The moonlight outlined her unexpectedly womanly body, and the dragon youth drank it in. He saw the way the ocean water glistened on her arms and thighs as she waded into the dark void. When she dipped below the gentle waves, he caught sight of her hair, shimmering and dripping lazily as she reemerged. A deep growl rumbled in his chest, and his animal eyes flashed.

She knew that Selendrile was probably watching her, but tried to brush off the eerie feeling. She could almost feel his intense stare as she washed the mud and scum and gore off of her. She sniffed at the water on her skin, and made an unpleasant face. The curious girl even touched her tongue to the back of her hand, and cringed as the bitterness stung her. Then, after she was as satisfied as she could be with her scrubbing, she exited the waves, rather hastily to the disappointment of her spectator.

The dragon heard her wet, sandy footsteps padding up the stone staircase. He could already smell the salt on her skin, mixing with her natural fresh scent. She stopped behind a crumbled piece of wall, and he noticed the hesitation in her eyes as she peered around the corner.

Selendrile was crouched in the darker side of the room, hands resting lackadaisically on his knees. His eyes glinted in the shadows, sending a chill up her naked spine.

"What is it? Are you afraid of me?" A small, mischievous smirk played on his lips. His gaze was piercing, as if he could see right through her.

"No," she replied quickly. "I just hate when you stare at me like that. I'm not your dinner." As the smart words left her mouth, she knew they were a poor choice, and he smirked wickedly.

"Then come in." He was completely still, intimidating, as she fidgeted.

She took a moment, but, covering her breasts with one arm and her nethers with the other, she inched away from her hiding place and into the open space. She settled against the wall opposite him, kneeling modestly so she could better cover herself. She felt incredibly exposed in front of this predator. "Are you sure there isn't a blanket or anything here?" she asked desperately.

He only nodded.

Alys sighed heavily, unintentionally raising and lowering her vulnerable chest. She blushed and looked away from those prying purple eyes. "As soon as the sun rises, I'm going to look for clothing. There has to be a cottage around here somewhere. I do not want to start off my new life stark naked…" Her voice trailed off, expanding the thick silence between them

"You're very enchanting, you know," Selendrile said suddenly, "for a human."

She snapped her attention back to him, startled. "What?"

"Your body," he replied easily. "It's very beautiful for a human's. I can't imagine why you would be so ashamed of it."

Alys wasn't sure how to respond. "It's not that I'm ashamed of it," she decidedly said, looking away from him. "I just don't want anybody looking at me. It makes me feel vulnerable."

He stood and walked over to where she sat. He crouched down in front of her and tilted his head, much in the same way he had when they first met. "Humans are so strange. They are the only beasts I know that wear coverings to hide their bodies." He reached out to her and took hold of her arm that hid her breasts.

"Stop!" she protested. But he did not try to pull it away, as she knew he could with no problem. He just looked at her with his knowing, smoldering eyes.

He sat motionless for a long moment, staring into her, watching as the pink in her cheeks deepened. Then his expression became dark and malicious again. It sent tremors through the pit of her stomach. "Would you like to experience something else that is new and breathtaking?" His voice was silkier and more enticing than she had ever heard it.

Alys was too wary and nervous to move. But she found her voice was steadier than she expected. "What?"

Selendrile pulled her arm away from her chest, despite her frustrated objections. He held strongly onto her wrist while she shied away from his penetrating eyes. When she raised her other hand—which had been hiding between her legs—in a desperate attempt to push him away, he only captured that wrist in his other hand, holding her fast. She sat, melting on the cold stone floor, squirming under his scrutiny. He held her arms apart, revealing her beauty in the moonlight. Her skin, clean and salted from the ocean waves, was pale and illuminated against the darkness of the night. His otherworldly eyes combed over her body, taking in each curve, every blemish, all the intimate parts she was trying to hide.

"I decided that I would like to make you feel as magnificent as you are," he told her. "I would like to take your mind away from all the things that have happened these past few days." As her eyes turned back to him and met his gaze, he licked his lips, and his voice was gravelly. "I would like to ravish you in a way that your virgin body cannot endure."

Alys' face could not burn any hotter if it was on the surface of the sun. Her heart clenched and her stomach wound itself into knots. Her voice abandoned her, and she was unable to snap a witty retort or a bitter protest against his proposal. She only sat, barely breathing, hardly thinking, with her mouth open in silent astonishment.

"I need you to tell me that it's what you want," the dragon youth cooed. He guided one of her wrists and trailed her trembling hand across her shin, over her knee, up her thigh, and dipped it between her legs without ever breaking eye contact. His gaze could crumble stone. She felt weak, enchanted, powerless to stop his advancement.

Without hesitating, he pressed her own fingers directly onto a pleasure point that she never knew she had. It was like he knew her body already. He didn't move her digits around or further the intrusion. Instead, he kept them pressured against that button, and she began to squirm.

"Sto…." she heard her pathetic voice begin, but the word was lost in her unsteady breaths. The sensations in her belly and hips were growing wild against his—her touch. She had no idea what was happening to her body. It was a magic she had never known. Whatever spell he had begun to cast upon her was far too powerful for a false witch such as herself to be able to combat.

Sensing her weakness, he moved her other arm to her chest, using her own palm to cup one of her firm, round breasts. His hand was over top of hers, pressing it into her hot flesh. He forced her hand to squeeze, and a small, involuntary moan slipped from her mouth.

"Say it," he whispered into her ear. He urged her hand between her legs to move a little bit, running her fingertips across the spot. He felt her muscles twitch.

"Ah… I don't…" Her head was filled with confusion, both physical and emotional. She couldn't make sense of what was happening, or why it was. But she knew one thing; he had already succeeded in distracting her soul from her troubles. And she was becoming helplessly consumed. "… Yes," she panted, nearly moaned. She nodded her head to reaffirm her pathetic resilience. She couldn't think of anything besides the desires rising in her belly.

"'Yes' what?" His hot dragon breath reached the nape of her neck, and she shivered.

Alys was sweating and winded, and he hadn't even touched her yet. The thought of what more could be done invaded her mind, enticed her perverse body to relinquish itself to him. "I want it…" The sensations in her body were driving her insane. This was an uncouth form of torture, and she had yet to decide if she welcomed it or not. He had made quick work of demolishing her pitiful resolve. She felt easily broken.

As soon as the words had left her mouth, Selendrile picked up her wretched body and pinned her to the floor in the center of the dilapidated stone room. Moonlight spilled over them, illuminating his golden hair as it hung like a curtain around the girl's face. He could clearly see the red color in her cheeks, and having her—naked, pale, and radiant—beneath him roused an animalistic need within him.

He dipped his head and traced his nose along her jawline, down her throat, and across the nape of her neck. He felt her shudder and tense under his touch, but he did not halt his movements. He took one of his rough hands and traced it up the side of her belly, from hip to ribs. She feebly attempted to push away his hand, but he grabbed her arm and pressed it against the floor.

"There is no turning back now," the dragon murmured against her skin. "Your innocence has awoken the beast." He pressed his tongue to the pulse point in her neck, trailing it over her young flesh. "I'm going to devour you, bit by bit."

Alys caught her breath in her throat as she felt his teeth scrape against her collarbone. Her stomach was tight, knotted into an impenetrable ball of excitement and fear. She had no voice with which to counter his intimate words, perhaps with something smart or rebellious. That is, she had no voice until he bit down on her shoulder, eliciting a startled moan from her lungs.

The bite was not hard enough to break through, but she could feel every tooth, from his canines to his molars. His breath spilled over her neck and chest, hot and heavy. His body, which had been motionless and solid above her, now moved like flowing water, rippling and sinking against her. It was rhythmic and natural, the way he moved. She knew it was his beastly spirit surfacing.

The moan that met his ears brought a low growl from Selendrile. He released her and began sliding down her body, nibbling and licking as he went. Then he knelt himself between her legs and lifted her thighs apart with his hands. "I want to hear more of those sounds, my lovely little maiden." He nearly purred the last word and flashed his otherworldly eyes up at her flushed face. Then he bowed his head and dragged his long, rough dragon tongue across her slick center.

She rewarded him with another delicious moan, only this time is was darker, and followed by a series of gasps and whimpers. Her body involuntarily arched, raising her hips to meet his naughty exploits. She heard him hum in satisfaction.

"That's it, young one," he hissed, pressing his lips to her pleasure point. He received a groan from his victim, who writhed and twitched in his grasp. "Just let go of yourself and give in to the carnality of my touch." His tongue slithered out again, lapping at her folds, slipping teasingly between them and tasting her delicate essence.

Alys exhaled loudly and began mewling. She had never before experienced sensations like this. Heeding his words, she began trying to relax her tight muscles, softening against him, embracing the feeling of his mouth. It was hard for her body to contain the amount of desire pulsing through her. This was all so intimate, so erotic that her virgin body was acting all on its own.

Sensing her surrender, Selendrile crawled over her, releasing her hips to the cold stone floor. He buried his face in the nape of her neck, inhaling the scent of her arousal, and let out a gentle hum. Without saying a word, he dragged his fingers up her inner thighs and pushed his index into her, slowly, methodically. She was slippery and hot and tight around him. He knew she would need a lot of coaxing to be ready for him.

Her gasp caught in her throat and she stared wide-eyed at the moon. "Ah—Selen…" She couldn't speak. It was as if all the air had been expelled from her body.

"You like that, don't you?" The dragon youth nipped at her neck just below her jaw. "This is what your virtuous body has been missing. Do you feel beautiful?" Continuing his gradual movements within her, stroking and pulsing, he dragged his teeth down her body, snaking his other arm under her lower back and lifting her to meet his mouth. He nibbled on her hip, licked his way up her belly, over her ribs, and settled his mouth on her breast. His rough tongue traced her hardened peak, taking it between his teeth and tugging on it tenderly.

Alys simply could not take any more. Her throat was already hoarse from the ragged breathing and desperate moaning. "Please…" she begged dreadfully. "I can't… No more… Please, Selendrile…"

"But I'm doing this for your benefit, dear girl," he replied coolly against her breast. Sluggishly, he brought a second finger to her entrance and slipped it inside, holding her tightly as she writhed beneath him. "You will not be able to take me, being untouched as you are." She felt him smirk into her skin again. He flexed and swirled his fingers inside her, spreading her and widening her.

She groaned, both in frustration and torturous pleasure. "Stop…" she whispered.

The dragon youth lifted his face level with hers. He peered into her eyes, a serious look in his amethyst depths. "Do you trust me?"

Alys couldn't tell if it was his deep eyes or his solemn tone—or the lewd sensations ravaging her being—but she truly felt that she could trust him. She knew that he would never hurt her. She felt as though he was the only person in the whole world that she could trust. So, closing her eyes in submission, she nodded.

"Good," he hissed. "You're almost there." He moved his mouth to her ear and began nibbling on her lobe, and he slid a third finger inside of her without warning.

Her back arched again, and she clawed at the stone floor. She moaned his name, and it was like molasses on her tongue—warm and sticky and silky. She was unknowingly driving him mad.

His eyes seemed to darken and he dropped his mouth to her shoulder. He withdrew his invading fingers and braced his hands on the floor on either side of her chest. Stretching over her, she felt intimidated by his bulk. "You are mine now." Alys' thighs were spread apart as he positioned himself between them. She could feel something hard and hot against her tender entrance, and her breathing hitched. He placed several lazy kisses up her neck, and his fiery breath bathed her chest as he opened his mouth wide. It all happened at once.

Her cry rang out through the old castle. He had bitten down hard on the curve of her neck at the same moment that he pushed himself roughly into her, breaking her innocence. He grunted into her skin, and he could taste the familiar metallic tang of blood on his tongue. His head was filled with the sound of her strangled cry. Her body was arched so dramatically below him that he grabbed hold of her arms and lifted them high above her head so she didn't hurt herself. Gently, he released his bite and lapped at her sensitive wound. Then he rose up to meet her distressed expression.

"Just breathe." Selendrile's voice was strong and firm, demanding obedience. "I will give your body time to adjust."

She gulped in a heavy, ragged breath. "Ah… It hurts…" She fought the tears that threatened to spring to her eyes and lay perfectly still, too afraid to move a muscle. The stars, which seemed to gaze down on her with concern, blurred in her vision.

The dragon dropped his lips to her ear and he began whispering in a language that she didn't understand. It was a soothing purr, listening to the soft clicking and articulation of his voice, and she was strangely comforted by the sound. Gradually, her body began to relax, easing the muscles that were clenched so tightly that she had thought they would snap. It was like being released from a benevolent hex, only to be swaddled in a warm enchantment. She exhaled slowly. His exotic words lulled her into a state of peace.

He raised his head and searched her face. "Are you ready?"

Alys knew he didn't have to ask her anything, but she got the impression that he did so for her sake. She inhaled and nodded, closing her eyes. Whatever spell he had cast upon her was irresistible.

Sharp pain coursed through her body as he began to move, but it was less than the initial shock that she had felt. She wasn't sure if it was his size, or because she was such a novice, but it felt as though she was going to tear in two. She concentrated on keeping her body relaxed, just trying to hold out until the pain subsided. With her eyes shut, she couldn't see him watching her, but she could feel his eyes, and it sent a shiver through her.

Her discomfort melted away quicker than she expected, and the response her body gave startled her. Her hips started moving with his, dancing in some instinctual fashion. Pleasure began coursing through her, wild in her veins. She began gasping and moaning. Her arms wriggled free of his grasp and encircled his neck in desperation.

Selendrile growled his approval. He snaked one of his arms under her lower back and supported them with his other. He thrust into her at a steadily quickening pace, his movements like flowing water. It was like they had been lovers for decades, writhing in an ancient waltz of immorality. Her body was growing incredibly hot, and the scent of salt on her skin increased. Some small voice in the back of her brain reminded her that he was a dragon, and she was overwhelmed with the eccentricity of the situation—perhaps even more aroused.

He grabbed one of her legs and hooked it around his hip, opening her body even more. The girl moaned louder, scratching at his back like she was clinging to the edge of a cliff. Primeval sounds slithered from his throat as his body was overcome with lust. It had been decades since he had taken a woman like this—but at the same time, it was nothing like this. Her virtuous body seemed to arouse something ancient in his dragon soul, satisfying a deep need that hadn't been sated in centuries. Their spirits were merging, becoming one powerful, cohesive entity. He could feel her whole life, and she could feel his. She was overwhelmed by the emotions coursing through her; she could feel his power, his rage, his hatred, his curiosity, his loneliness. She wanted to take all of his pain and bury it within her. She wanted to banish it from him with her body.

Acting on her own accord, she grabbed his face with both of her hands, while he was immersed in himself, and covered his mouth with hers. It was her first kiss, which seemed like a silly concept to her at that moment. But she thought nothing of it, didn't hesitate in sacrificing her whole self to him. She wanted him, needed him, and she wanted to show him that she was there with him.

She had been afraid that her kiss would not be received by this beast of the skies, but he surprised her by immediately deepening the kiss, grabbing the back of her head and crushing his mouth onto hers. It was a spiritual feeling, one like she had never experienced. It was different than him taking her body; with this, he was taking her heart. Her blood thrummed loudly in her ears.

Selendrile growled deeply and lifted her up to sit in his lap, grinding her hips into his. She gasped into their kiss, and he took the opportunity to invade her mouth with his tongue. He was skilled beyond her comprehension, so she was helpless to his ministrations. She let him penetrate her mind, body, and soul. Suddenly, she felt a tightening inside her belly, as if she was standing on the edge of a valley looking down into the abyss. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and began whimpering into his mouth. She wasn't sure what this feeling was, and she was tipping over the edge.

"Come, Alys." The dragon's voice was heavy and strained. "Just let go. I will meet you there." He moved his hips rhythmically, with purpose and instinct. He could feel himself losing control.

He pushed her over the edge, and she came crashing to earth in a cry of climax. His name filled the empty castle as she vocalized her orgasm, whining and moaning and shuddering. She clung to him desperately, as if she would fall from the face of the earth. She thought she would go insane, that she might lose herself in him. As she tightened and pulsed around him, and her sensual voice called his name, he too succumbed to the apex of his pleasure. He growled loudly and buried his face into her shoulder, biting into her skin. He raked his fingers over her back.

They rode the waves of pleasure together for what seemed like an eternity, holding each other tightly, lost in time. Slowly, without withdrawing himself from her, he laid her down and pressed his face into her chest, inhaling her scent deeply. She lay flat and limp on the cold stone floor. She gazed at the moon while she let him trace his nose over her chest, up her neck, until his head blocked her view of the sky. She stared into his shining amethyst eyes, which seemed to be brighter than normal, more lively. He was regarding her in a new way; it seemed possessive, protective.

He ran his hand up her body and cupper her cheek in his palm. "How do you feel, Alys?"

It was the second time he had said her name this night, and it made her pulse quicken. His silky voice dripped over her like honey. "I'm not sure," she whispered, looking away from him and blushing. "My body feels numb but very sensitive." She was feeling a lot more than that, but she wasn't about to open up to him. She was feeling incredibly exposed and vulnerable, just as she had before all this started. She wanted to crawl away and hide in a dark corner.

"Do not shy away from me, my dear," Selendrile said, turning her gaze back to him. She was startled by his tender words. "You are no longer a girl, but a young woman. And you are very beautiful." He dipped his head and took her lips again, the kiss gentler, more deliberate. "Do you feel beautiful?" he asked again.

She turned to look out over the vast and imposing ocean, flushed, and smiled. "Yes."

When day broke, the pair walked down the beach, taking in the scenery of the ocean at sunrise. Alys walked naked alongside her dragon companion until they came upon a house a stone's throw from the water's edge. The occupants were not there, so the unlikely pair easily slipped inside to gather supplies for their journey.

While collecting dry food from the kitchen, Alys turned to see Selendrile bringing her a pile of clothing—trousers, tunics, coats, and blankets. He set them down on the kitchen table and stared at her expectantly.

"I thought you didn't understand the need for clothing," she said, taking a tunic and holding it up in front of her. She quickly slipped it on.

He watched her intently and then looked out the doorway at the beach. "I did not understand, but now I do." He glanced back at her. "From now on, I don't want anyone to behold your beauty but me."


End file.
